Department for Transport

Southern: Standards

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the quality and timeliness of information for passengers produced on the Southern rail network following thefailure of services on 2 July.

baroness sugg: It is the responsibility of the operator and Network Rail to ensure that passenger information is accurate and given in a timely manner. When operational incidents occur that cause service disruption, such as on 2nd July, the Department for Transport expects that information is provided to passengers as quickly as possible in order that they can make informed decisions.

Southern: Standards

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many passengers suffered delays and cancellations across the Southern railway network as a result of service failures on2 July.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport does not make estimates of how many passengers are impacted by delays and cancellations. Govia Thameslink Railway (which runs Southern services) has reported that, on Monday 2 July, 68% of Southern services arrived at their destination within five minutes of the schedule. A major cause of service disruption was a multiple signal failure between Wivelsfield and Hassocks.

Southern: Standards

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of compensation Southern and Govia Thameslink Railway expect to pay to passengers following the network failure on 2 July.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the amount of compensation Southern, which is part of the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) network, expects to pay for the disruption on Monday 2 July. GTR and the Department encourage passengers to claim the Delay Repay compensation for any delays over 15 minutes.

Network Rail: Train Operating Companies

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to conduct a review of the relationship between Network Rail and rail franchising companies with an action plan to improve (1) services, and (2) provision of information to passengers.

baroness sugg: The Government 2017 paper, Connecting People: A Strategic Vision for Rail, already sets out the specific actions that the government is taking to improve services to passengers, including closer working relationships between Network Rail and train operating companies, continuing high levels of investment and an improved experience for passengers. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is currently conducting two reviews into rail timetabling issues. As part of these reviews they are considering the roles played by the various participant parties in the rail sector, including Network Rail and franchise operators, in the provision of services and information about services to passengers. ORR will publish its conclusions and any recommendations in due course. Further information about the reviews is available on the ORR’s website: orr.gov.uk

Railways: Bus Services

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to rail companies about the provision of rail replacement services in the event of a failure of train services.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport requires operators to use all reasonable endeavours to provide alternative transport arrangements. The franchise agreement sets expectations for the quality of any alternative service that should be offered to passengers.

Bus Service Operators Grant

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 5 June (HL8111) and the report by the Campaign for Better TransportBuses in Crisis,published in June, that states that local bus budgets have halved in the last seven years, what assessment they have made of whether devolving part of Bus Services Operator Grant to local authorities has met their intended objectives.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport pays around £43m of Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) per year directly to local authorities. This element of BSOG relates to services which local authorities procure directly because they would not otherwise be commercially viable. This funding is ring-fenced and may only be used for the purposes of supporting bus services (including community transport services run under a section 19 permit), or for the provision of infrastructure supporting such services. Local authorities are required to report to the Department on how they have made use of the devolved funds, as well as publishing such information on their website. As a devolved fund, it is for the local authorities to determine how they use this funding to support bus services and help meet their local objectives.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will release the Department for Transport’s "Road to Zero" strategy, which was due to be published in March 2018.

baroness sugg: The Government published the "Road to Zero" strategy on 9th July. The full document is available in the Libraries of both Houses and can also be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-emissions-from-road-transport-road-to-zero-strategy

Large Goods Vehicles: EU Countries

lord morris of aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of lorries from EU countries, and in particular the Republic of Ireland, using roads in the UK on the way to other EU countries; and whether any costs incurred by the UK will be taken in to account in negotiations with the EU.

baroness sugg: Data for 2017 indicates that 36,000 Irish registered Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) travelled through UK on their way to Mainland Europe. Through the HGV levy these hauliers contribute to the costs of the roads they use. This will continue to be the case after the UK leaves the EU.

Railways: Standards

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government which single body or individual is responsible, and accountable, for the overall performance of the rail network.

baroness sugg: The railway is a partnership between the public and private sectors which has delivered a doubling in demand and significant investment over the past two decades.Network Rail is responsible for the performance of the infrastructure, working with train operating companies who are responsible for the passenger services running on the network. The Government has set out plans to introduce more integrated working between Network Rail and train operators, to present a single accountable face of overall railway performance to passengers.The Department for Transport takes a number of decisions which influence the evolution of the railway, including infrastructure investment and the approach to its passenger service franchises, as do other funders and franchising authorities.

May 2018 Rail Timetable Implementation Independent Inquiry

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the members of the inquiry set up to look into the causes of the Thameslink 2018 new timetable problems.

baroness sugg: The Inquiry is being conducted by the independent Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Professor Stephen Glaister CBE, Chair of the ORR is leading the inquiry and has appointed a panel of expert advisers to inform the inquiry. The members are Dame Deirdre Hutton DBE, Mike Brown MVO, Anne Heal and Michael Beswick. Further details about the inquiry and the panel members are published on ORR’s website: orr.gov.uk.

May 2018 Rail Timetable Implementation Independent Inquiry

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government which members of the inquiry set up to look into the causes of the Thameslink 2018 new timetable problems are from companies or bodies whose roles in the run up to the introduction of the new timetable, and subsequently, are likely to be considered by the inquiry.

baroness sugg: The independent Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is wholly responsible for the conduct of the inquiry and ensuring that any potential conflicts are appropriately managed. A panel of experts will advise the Inquiry. The inquiry panel members are Dame Deirdre Hutton DBE, Mike Brown MVO, Anne Heal (a Non-Executive member of the ORR Board) and Michael Beswick. The panel is also one of the means which will ensure that the ORR’s own role, as regulator of Network Rail and of the train operating companies, is properly assessed by the Inquiry.

Thameslink Railway Line

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the Department for Transport plays on the Thameslink Industry Readiness Board.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport attends the Thameslink Timetable Industry Readiness Board in its capacity as sponsor of the Thameslink Programme and its responsibility for rail passenger services.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Databases

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the DVLA database that records penalty points on drivers' licences is both paper-based and digital; and whether iinformation from that databasecan be easily and quickly shared with magistrates courts.

baroness sugg: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) only records penalty points and endorsements on its electronic database. Courts in Great Britain have access to the electronic Drivers Validation Service, which provides immediate and up to date information on a driver’s record. Courts can also check driver records by sending a paper application form to the DVLA.

Tilbury Port: Lower Thames Crossing

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan a link road from Tilbury Port to the proposed Lower Thames Crossing.

baroness sugg: The Lower Thames Crossing project is at an early stage of its development and the design will continue to evolve as the scheme progresses towards a Development Consent Order (DCO) submission. No decision has been made on the case, or otherwise, for a new link to the Port of Tilbury. A link from the crossing to Tilbury Port was not included in the April 2017 preferred route announcement and has not been considered formally by Ministers. There will be an opportunity for people and businesses to influence Highways England’s design of the scheme through a second public consultation, expected later this year. A final decision on the scope to be included in the DCO will be taken in 2019.

Tilbury Port: Lower Thames Crossing

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the haul road connecting Tilbury Port with the Lower Thames Crossing will (1) remain a permanent road, or (2) be removed, when the Lower Thames Crossing scheme is in operation.

baroness sugg: The Lower Thames Crossing project is at an early stage of its development and the design will continue to evolve as it progresses towards a Development Consent Order submission. Highways England are considering a range of options for the operational movement of construction materials and equipment, including movement from key access points on the strategic network such as at the A2, M25 and the Port of Tilbury.

Tilbury Port: Lower Thames Crossing

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered the commercial and residential development potential of land that could be unlocked through a link road connecting the Port of Tilbury and the Lower Thames Crossing.

baroness sugg: In developing their proposals for the Lower Thames Crossing, Highways England is seeking to create the right balance between: facilitating economic growth, including through new developments; improving connectivity; optimising the performance of the local and strategic road networks; and meeting the needs of local communities. No decision on the final design of the scheme, including a link road to the Port of Tilbury, has yet been taken.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports and satellite images in The Wall Street Journal on 1 July which suggest that North Korea is completing a major expansion of a significant missile manufacturing facility in Hamhung as part of its nuclear weapons programme.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of reports that North Korea has carried out work to expand its missile manufacturing facility in Hamhung. North Korea has committed to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, but until they match their words with swift, concrete actions we will continue working with our international partners to strictly enforce existing sanctions.

Afghanistan: Visits Abroad

lord davies of stamford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of the Foreign Secretary's visit to Afghanistan on 25 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The cost of the former Foreign Secretary's travel will be disclosed in the usual way and published as part of transparency data in accordance with Cabinet Office requirements.

Israel: Palestinians

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how long Ms Khalida Jarrar, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, has been in detention in Israel; and whether they have made, or intend to make, any representations to the government of Israel on behalf of her and other legislators held without charge or trial.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We understand that Ms Jarrar has been detained since July 2017. While we have not raised this particular case, we remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice, and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law, to refrain from the use of administrative detention and either charge or release detainees.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health Services

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Triangle of Care for people suffering with mental health conditions.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department has made no formal assessment of the Triangle of Care for people suffering with mental health conditions.The Triangle of Care, published by the Carers Trust in 2013, aims at achieving better collaboration and partnership with carers in the service user’s and carer’s journey through mental health services. The Government has engaged with Carers Trust, during the development of their Carers Action Plan 2018-2020: supporting carers today. A copy of the Action Plan, published in June 2018, is attached. The plan sets out a two-year programme of targeted work to support unpaid carers. It puts a focus on practical actions and gives visibility to the work already underway or planned within Government.The Action Plan is consistent with some of the principles set out in the Triangle of Care. It has a number of actions that seek to improve the awareness and identification of carers among healthcare professionals and social workers to improve access to appropriate information and support for carers. It is also intended to ensure that they feel listened to and that their views are appropriately taken into account when the person they care for is in health and care settings.The independent review of the Mental Health Act 1983 will consider further how to improve dignity and respect for service users and carers. It is also considering mechanisms through which carers, families and friends of people who are detained under the Act can be supported to be involved in the care of the person they support. The independent review is due to publish its final report later this year.



Carers Action Plan-2018-2020
(PDF Document, 484.59 KB)

Spinal Injuries: Hospital Beds

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether NHS England intend to increase the capacity of the National Spinal Cord Injury Service by 54 beds, as recommended in their recent Service Review.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England continues to work with stakeholders to deliver the key components of the ongoing Spinal Cord Injury Service Review.The two principal actions that need to be taken forward as a result of the review are identifying the best way of meeting the need for additional inpatient capacity, recommended as 54 beds; and the establishment of a national spinal cord injury network.Over the coming months there will be an evaluation of capital bids required for the building of a new unit. Network proposals are also being finalised. The increase in capacity of the Spinal Cord Injury Service cannot be confirmed until the evaluation and review are completed.

Aortic Aneurysm

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the draft NICE guidance on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and in particular, the impact of the proposal to group regulated and non-regulated products on standards of patient care.

lord o'shaughnessy: We have made no such assessment. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service. NICE’s guidance is based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and is developed through extensive engagement with stakeholders. NICE has not yet published its final guideline on abdominal aortic aneurysm and has recently consulted publicly on its draft guidance. NICE will take the comments it has received in response to the consultation fully into account in finalising its guideline.

Folic Acid

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) mandating the fortification of flour and flour-based products with folic acid, and (2) informing pregnant women of the benefits of ingesting folic acid by other means.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government has made no formal assessment of the impact of mandating the fortification of flour and flour-based products with folic acid or of informing pregnant women of the benefits of ingesting folic acid by other means.Women who are trying to conceive or who are likely to become pregnant are advised to take a daily supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid until the 12th week of pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects in their unborn babies. They are also advised to increase their daily intake of folate by eating more folate-rich foods, for example spinach and broccoli, and foods voluntarily fortified with folic acid such a wide range of breakfast cereals. Health education messages on folic acid as part of a range of pregnancy advice are provided in various settings targeted at women of childbearing age such as family planning clinics and general practitioner surgeries. Additionally, NHS Choices provides information online on healthy lifestyle advice during pregnancy including the importance of folic acid supplementation. The NHS Start4life Information Service for Parents provides parents-to-be and new parents with advice and information about pregnancy and the first few months with a baby, using free emails, videos and text messages.

Folic Acid

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there are any adverse effects on humans and animals of ingesting folic acid; and if so, what they are.

lord o'shaughnessy: The current Tolerable Upper Level (TUL) of intake for folic acid is based on the observation that folic acid can mask or delay the diagnosis of pernicious anaemia. At their meeting on 3 July 2018, the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) reviewed the available human and animal data. An interim position detailing the COT’s arguments and recent discussions will be published shortly.

Department for International Development

St Helena: Overseas Aid

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the suspension of the capital programme and funding for St Helena, particularly in respect of its residents' (1) employment, (2) disposable income, and (3) standard of living, and of the Island's progress towards expanding its tourism-based economy.

lord bates: DFID has not suspended a capital programme. The most recent capital programme concluded in March 2018 and DFID is exploring options for a new programme. Financial aid has increased over the last 5 years and contributes more directly to indicators affecting well-being on the island including public sector wages, health and education. The St Helena Government has recently published a household expenditure survey, and will soon launch a business and employment survey which will provide more information on disposable income and employment. The average annual incomes of residents after taking into account inflation has risen steadily between 2012/13 and 2016/17 and household expenditures show only modest increases of 16% over the last 8 years.

Educational Exchanges: Oldham

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will extend eligibility for British Council Professional Partnerships and Connecting Classrooms funding to primary schools in Oldham which have established links with the bilingual and binational school in Israel, Oasis for Peace.

lord bates: Connecting Classrooms Professional Partnerships are funded through Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), so only ODA-eligible countries can apply. Given that Israel is a development assistance donor, rather than recipient, it is not eligible for this funding. However, schools in Israel can still access online resources and support through the British Council’s Schools Online service, and participate in online collaborative projects with other schools from around the world.

Refugees: Health Services

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to seek to ensure that adolescents in refugee camps are able to engage with confidential sexual and reproductive health and rights services.

lord bates: The UK Government is strongly committed to the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescent girls affected by humanitarian crises. At the London Family Planning Summit in July 2017 we ensured that adolescents and humanitarian crises were two of the priority themes. We committed to including specific provisions for adolescents in all our future sexual and reproductive health programmes and to collecting and using age-disaggregated data (including for the under 20s). All UK humanitarian funding is required to consider sexual and reproductive health and rights and we support the Inter-Agency Field Manual for Reproductive Health in Crises, which includes guidelines on the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents.

Somalia: Overseas Aid

lord monks: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they take (1) human, and (2) trade union rights violations into account when making aid available to Somalia.

lord bates: In determining UK aid funding to governments DFID assesses their commitment to each of four Partnership Principles. One of the Principles is commitment to human rights. Evidence of lack of commitment to the Principles would influence choices on the level and the manner of aid provision, for example by providing aid through civil society organisations rather than through government bodies. DFID Somalia works through a range of implementing partners in Somalia and has put robust safeguards in place to ensure all our programmes meet the highest standards of conduct and risk management. Although trade union rights are not explicitly listed in our Partnership Principles, egregious violations of workers’ rights would fall under our wider provision for human rights.

Syria: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance will they provide for Palestinian refugees who have fled from or remain in Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria.

lord bates: Despite the regime takeover, humanitarian access to Yarmouk remains restricted. Where and when access permits, DFID is supporting the UN, NGOs and other partners to deliver life-saving assistance to those who remain in Yarmouk and those who were displaced following the siege, by providing food, healthcare, water and other life-saving relief. With our international partners, the UK continues to use our position in the UN Security Council and the International Syria Support Group to advocate for the protection of civilians, and calls on all parties to allow humanitarian agencies unfettered access to deliver aid to those most in need.

Department for Education

Children

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of children aged (1) zero to five,(2)six to 11,and (3) 12to 16, from (a) low, (b) middle, and (c) high, income families are not living with both parents.

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of (1) children living with both birth parents, and (2) children not living with both birth parents have met the required level of attainment at each Key Stage in each year since 2012.

lord agnew of oulton: The information requested is not held centrally. The department does not collect or hold information on children’s living arrangements or the income of their families. The Office for National Statistics may hold some of this information. Statistics on pupil attainment organised by entitlement for free school meals or are disadvantaged can be found in the following publications:Key stage 2: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-key-stage-2.[1]Key stage 4: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4.[2]16 to 18 study: For 2011/12 – 2015/16 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-attainment-by-pupil-characteristics.[3]For 2016/17 - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/a-level-and-other-16-to-18-results-2016-to-2017-revised.[4] [1] Select the ‘revised’ publication for each year, open the ‘national tables’ and navigate to the tables giving statistics by pupil characteristics.[2] For 2011/12 – 2013/14, scroll halfway down the page and select the ‘GCSE and equivalent attainment by pupil characteristics’ link and then open the ‘national and local authority tables’. For 2014/15 – 2016/17, select the ‘revised’ publications (at the top of the page) and open the ‘characteristic national tables’. Each of these has an initial table providing headline measures by each of the characteristics we publish.[3] Select the ‘underlying data’ and navigate to the ‘FSM’ table for each year, figures for disadvantaged pupils were not published in these releases.[4] Download the ‘A level exam results and A level and vocational participation csv’ (towards the bottom of the page) and open the ‘performance measures by characteristics’ file. You can then filter the data for FSM and disadvantage (columns E and F).

Special Educational Needs: Inspections

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to commission Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to continue their local area special educational needs and disability inspections beyond the current initial five-year cycle.

lord agnew of oulton: Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspections of the effectiveness of special educational needs and disability services are providing evidence of progress and are a powerful driver of improvement in local areas. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced on 5 July that he would be asking Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to design a programme of further inspections to follow the current round, due to conclude in 2021; and for their advice on further inspection or monitoring of those areas required to produce a ‘Written Statement of Action’.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many votes were cast for each candidate in each round of voting of the hereditary peers by-election held following the retirement of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley.

lord mcfall of alcluith: In the by-election following the retirement of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, 26 valid votes were cast. All excepted hereditary peers belonging to the Crossbench group, 31 in total, were eligible to vote. On the first count, of the 19 candidates, 9 received one or more first-preference votes. After 5 transfers of votes, the votes for the final two candidates were:Lord Ravensdale 5 votesThe Earl of Devon 12 votesThe successful candidate was therefore the Earl of Devon. Below are details of the votes cast for each candidate at each count. The left-hand column lists all candidates. The next column shows the number of first-preference votes for each candidate. Subsequent columns (which are numbered) show the number of votes for each candidate after each transfer of votes from excluded candidates. An X in a column shows that the candidate concerned was excluded at that stage. The penultimate row shows the total number of votes at each stage—i.e. after excluding votes which could not be transferred because no further preference was marked. The last row shows the number of votes required at that stage for a candidate to be elected—i.e. half the total (rounded up if necessary).Note on the voting systemThe election was conducted using the alternative vote system (also known as preferential voting).Under this system, voters rank in order as many candidates as they wish.Initially only first-preference votes are counted.If the vote for any one candidate equals or exceeds the votes for all the other candidates combined, that candidate is elected.Otherwise the votes for the candidate or candidates with fewest votes (or, in the event of a tie, fewest first-preference votes) are transferred to whichever of the continuing candidates is marked by that voter as their next available preference, and the votes thus transferred are added to the first-preference votes of those candidates. The process is repeated until one candidate has as many votes as all the other remaining candidates combined.Any paper on which no further preference is marked is set aside as non-transferable. The poll was supervised and the count was conducted by Electoral Reform Services. Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield acted as scrutineer. Distribution of votes First-preference votes123456Albemarle, E.0 X  Aldington, L.4444444Bridges, L.2222 X   Carnarvon, E.222 XDevon, E.7789101012Effingham, E.0 X  Eldon, E.2222233 XGlenconner, L.0 X  Hamilton and Brandon, D.222222 X Hankey, L.0 X  Hood, V.22222 X  Meston, L.11 X Monson, L.0 X  Mostyn, L.0 X  Mountgarret, V. (L. Mountgarret)0 X  Powerscourt, V. (L. Powerscourt)0 X  Ravensdale, L.4445555Snowdon, E.Withdrawn  Wigram, L.0 X  VOTES EXCLUDED AT EACH STAGE0000110TOTAL CONTINUING VOTES AT EACH STAGE26262626252424VOTES NEEDED IN ORDER TO BE ELECTED13131313131212 This information was also issued as a notice and available in the Printed Paper Office, as well as being available online.

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what was the percentage turnout of the electorate in the hereditary peers by-election held following the retirement of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There was a turnout of 83.9% of the electorate in the hereditary peers by-election held following the retirement of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley.

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether in the statement of the result of the hereditary peers by-election due on 18 July the Clerk of the Parliaments will announce (1) the number of votes obtained by the winning candidate, and (2) the size ofthat candidate'smajority.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There are no plans to change the current approach in announcing the result of hereditary peers by-elections.

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether in the statement of the result of the hereditary peers by-election due on 18 July the Clerk of the Parliaments will announce the percentage turnout of the electorate.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There are no plans to include this information in the statement of the result of future hereditary peers by-elections.

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the candidature statements of each candidate in the forthcoming hereditary peers by-election will be published in the official report.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There are no plans to publish candidature statements in the official report.

Hereditary Peers: By-elections

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether procedures are in place for the appointment of tellers in the forthcoming hereditary peers by-elections for Conservative and Crossbench peers; and if so, what those procedures are.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There are currently no procedures in place for the appointment of tellers in the forthcoming hereditary peers by-elections. Polls are supervised and the count conducted by Electoral Reform Services. A member of the relevant party/group is appointed to act as scrutineer at the count.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Social Rented Housing: Construction

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new build council and housing association homes were (1) completed, and (2) occupied between 6 May 2010 and 7 May 2015 with funding approved before 6 May 2010.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Since 2010, we have delivered over 378,000 new affordable homes, including over 273,000 affordable homes for rent.Between 6 May 2010 and 7 May 2015, 98,700 affordable homes were completed with programme funding approved before 6 May 2010. This is across Housing Associations, Local Authorities and Non-Registered Providers. We do not have data on occupation.Affordable housing remains the Government’s priority. That’s why we increased the Affordable Homes Programme budget to over £9 billion to deliver a wide range of affordable housing, including social rent homesThe Affordable Homes Programme will now build over 250,000 homes by March 2022.

Shops: Non-domestic Rates

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce a business rates relief scheme for bookshops analogous to that provided for public houses.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has introduced a range of business rates reforms and measures to support businesses, including bookshops, worth over £10 billion by 2023. This includes, from April 2017, permanently doubling Small Business Rate Relief and raising the threshold for relief meaning that over 600,000 small businesses now pay no business rates at all, and helping all business by switching the measure of inflation, used for the indexation of rates, from Retail Price Index to Consumer Price Index.

Shops: Non-domestic Rates

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the effect of the level of business rates on the viability of high street stores, and (2) whether the current level of business rates has contributed to the increasing number of high street store closures.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government undertook a fundamental review of business rates in 2016. Following the review, the Government introduced a range of business rates reforms and measures to support businesses worth over £10 billion by 2023. These include, from April 2017, permanently doubling Small Business Rate Relief and raising the threshold for relief, meaning that over 600,000 small businesses now pay no business rates at all, and helping all businesses by switching the measure of inflation used for the indexation of rates from Retail Price Index to Consumer Price Index.

Shops: Non-domestic Rates

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will extend business rates relief to bookshops.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has introduced a range of business rates reforms and measures to support businesses, including bookshops, worth over £10 billion by 2023. This includes, from April 2017, permanently doubling Small Business Rate Relief and raising the threshold for relief meaning that over 600,000 small businesses now pay no business rates at all, and helping all business by switching the measure of inflation, used for the indexation of rates, from Retail Price Index to Consumer Price Index.

Local Government: Standards

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedures they have put in place to monitor the effectiveness of commissioners appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to work with local authorities.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Commissioners are appointed after a careful consideration of their experience and skills and drawing on advice from the sector, particularly the Local Government Association. Their roles are set out in Directions and the accompanying Explanatory Memoranda which are publicly available. Ministers receive regular reports from Commissioners with evidence of improvement progress and these give opportunities to monitor their effectiveness. Recent interventions at both the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council have led to marked improvements with powers being handed back to the authorities concerned.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Equality

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the diversity of board membership on Local Enterprise Partnerships.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) bring together business and civic leaders across a functional economic area to prioritise investment to where it will most effectively drive growth. Decisions on Board composition are made locally. At the first meeting of LEP Chairs on 19 of June, the Prime Minister stressed the importance that LEP leadership truly represents the communities they serve, highlighting the significant progress on gender diversity made in FTSE100 companies in recent years. The forthcoming ministerial led review of LEPs will provide more detail on the Government’s expectations.

Shops

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, theyhave to help revitalise UK high streets following rising numbers of shop closures.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: High streets are a crucial part of our communities. The Government is determined to see our Great British high streets thriving now, and in the future. We want to see vibrant hubs where people live, shop, use services, and spend their leisure time, and that includes a welcoming and safe night-time economy.This is why we have announced that the Department will launch a call for evidence over the summer looking at the future of our high street. We are establishing an expert panel of industry leaders to draw on their experience and expertise to diagnose the issues currently affecting the health of our high streets and advise on the best approach for their revival.In addition, during Great British High Street Week in July, Ministers from the Department and across government are currently visiting high streets to discuss the issues they face.

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Maintenance

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths since 2000 have been linked to Child Support Agency cases or cases managed by the Child Maintenance Service.

baroness buscombe: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 25 June 2018.The correct answer should have been:

We have interpreted your question to refer to the death, for any reason, of receiving or paying parent who is named on a case managed by the Child Support Agency (CSA) or the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). Data is only available for the 2003 CSA scheme, and for the CMS since December 2015. IIt It is standard practice for the Department to be informed of a death and for this to be recorded on departmental systems. It is only possible to identify a death of a case participant where the Department has a National Insurance number for the parent involved and has been informed of the death. Where the Department is informed of a death only the date is recorded as standard practice and as such any link beyond involvement in a case cannot be established. For 2003 scheme cases managed by the CSA there were 71,200 deaths informed to DWP between 2003 and 31st December 2017. For cases managed by the CMS there were 3,500 deaths informed to DWP between 1st December 2015 and 31st December 2017. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest one hundred.

baroness buscombe: We have interpreted your question to refer to the death, for any reason, of receiving or paying parent who is named on a case managed by the Child Support Agency (CSA) or the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). Data is only available for the 2003 CSA scheme, and for the CMS since December 2015. IIt It is standard practice for the Department to be informed of a death and for this to be recorded on departmental systems. It is only possible to identify a death of a case participant where the Department has a National Insurance number for the parent involved and has been informed of the death. Where the Department is informed of a death only the date is recorded as standard practice and as such any link beyond involvement in a case cannot be established. For 2003 scheme cases managed by the CSA there were 71,200 deaths informed to DWP between 2003 and 31st December 2017. For cases managed by the CMS there were 3,500 deaths informed to DWP between 1st December 2015 and 31st December 2017. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest one hundred.

Universal Credit: Travellers

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Buscombe on 3 July (HL8777), how many Gypsy and Traveller Universal Credit applicants and claimants have been able to set up and manage their claims face-to-face or via the freephone telephone helpline in total (1) including pilot areas, and (2) excluding pilot areas.

baroness buscombe: The information requested is not held by the Department.

Pension Wise

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 25 June (HL8507), how much they spent on the PensionWise service in each year since 2015; which organisations are responsible for the service's delivery; andhow they assess the impact and effectiveness of the service.

baroness buscombe: Pension Wise spent £31.7 million in 2015/16, £24.4 million in 2016/17 and £20.6 million in 2017/18. Pension Wise is a service run by the Department, and is funded by a levy on the financial services industry. Face to face appointments are delivered by Citizens Advice England & Wales (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Citizens Advice Scotland. Telephone appointments are delivered by the Pensions Advisory Service, Citizens Advice Scotland and TelePerformance Ltd. The Pension Wise website is maintained by the Department. The Pension Wise service evaluation research conducted by Ipsos MORI, published in October 2017, showed that people who had a Pension Wise appointment, or had used the Pension Wise website, were significantly more likely to answer questions about their pension options correctly. They were also much more likely to have calculated how much income they would need in retirement, shopped around for quotes, and considered how much tax or charges they would pay based on their chosen options.Customers and non-users were asked a series of questions to assess their factual knowledge of their pension options. Appointment customers had a knowledge score average of 70 per cent, just fractionally more than website customers who had a knowledge score average of 68 per cent. Both cohorts compare favourably to non users of the service, where the knowledge score average was 47 per cent

State Retirement Pensions: Post Offices

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether state pensions can be collected at post offices.

baroness buscombe: The majority of pensioners have their State Pension paid into a bank account. As most bank accounts can be accessed at the Post Office, claimants can collect their payments that way. Since January, 99% of banks’ personal customers are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. The Department also has arrangements in place to ensure that the majority of those who cannot access a bank account, can collect their State Pension at the Post Office using a Post Office card account.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Thames Water

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of (1) possible conflicts of interest in the appointment of auditors, and (2) inappropriate payments to senior executives, at Thames Water; and whether they will ask OFWAT to launch an investigation.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has not made an assessment of conflicts of interest in the appointment of auditors or the level of pay to senior executives at Thames Water. The Government fully supports Ofwat’s reforms to the price review process which requires water companies to ensure that executive pay is linked to customer service, share profits with customers, and make dividend payments more transparent.https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Putting-the-sector-back-in-balance-consultation-on-proposals-for-PR19-business-plans.pdf.

Animal Products: Trade

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the United States to allow the trade in elephant and other animal trophies from Zambia and Zimbabwe; and whether they will discuss a worldwide ban on sales of ivory with the President of the United States during his visit to the UK.

lord gardiner of kimble: Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which the United States is a Party, the import of hunting trophies of elephants and other endangered species is permitted subject to strict controls. We have not made an assessment of the decision by the United States.   The Prime Minister and President Trump discussed a range of the many international and foreign policy issues on which the US and UK co-operate closely.

Natural England: Finance

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the funding for Natural England to enable it to discharge its duties and responsibilities.

lord gardiner of kimble: Natural England, like all other Defra sponsored bodies, receives an appropriate budget to carry out its duties and responsibilities in line with what is affordable and the priorities set out by the Secretary of State.

Natural England

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Natural England is fulfilling its duties and responsibilities.

lord gardiner of kimble: The relationship between Defra and Natural England is clearly set out in Natural England’s Framework Document. Priorities and performance measures are agreed across the Defra Group and with the Secretary of State. Performance is monitored and challenged within Natural England through monthly reports to the non-Executive Board, and to Defra through reporting against the Single Departmental Plan on a quarterly basis. The Secretary of State also reviews performance at biannual meetings with Natural England’s Chair and Chief Executive. Financial management is reviewed monthly between Natural England and Defra Finance teams.

Fish: Conservation

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to hold discussions with North Sea Coastal States in setting conservation measures for future fish stocks.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government published its Fisheries White Paper Sustainable Fisheries for Future Generations on 4 July. We explained that as an independent coastal state we will work closely with the EU and other coastal states, including Norway and the Faroe Islands, to manage transboundary stocks sustainably. The UK has long championed sustainable fishing and is committed to such cooperation.   The UK will apply to be an independent member of regional fisheries management organisations including the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, where we will pursue our interests in negotiations on important pelagic stocks in this area.

Territorial Waters

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respect the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, defining territorial waters extending to at most 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state, post-Brexit.

lord gardiner of kimble: Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the UK’s territorial sea extends to 12 nautical miles from its baselines and its Exclusive Economic Zone extends to 200 nautical miles or the median line from its base lines. On leaving the EU the UK will become an independent coastal state with the right to control access to and management of fisheries within its Exclusive Economic Zone. UNCLOS also contains obligations to work with neighbours on the sustainable management of shared stocks and the UK government has always been clear it intends to do just that.

Origin Marking

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend to continue to respect the EU regulations on protected geographical statusfor products following Brexit.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government recognises the economic and cultural importance of our Geographical Indications (GIs) and is working to ensure that they continue to be protected in the future. Using the powers of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018, we will transfer into domestic law the EU schemes that currently protect our GIs. This will ensure that when we leave the EU there are UK GI schemes in place that comply with and go beyond the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

Fisheries: Quotas

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 4 July (HL Deb, col 593), whether they plan to permit fishing vessels under 10 metres to have access to an increased quota of fish other than shellfish prior to 29 March 2019.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government allocates quota on an annual basis with a principle to ensure that fishing opportunities are allocated for the benefit of all, taking into account the needs of those within existing Producer Organisations (POs) and the needs of the under 10m fleet.   Since 2012, to help support the under 10m fleet, the Government has realigned quota that had neither been fished, leased, gifted nor swapped by POs and was considered unused. This has delivered a 13% increase in quota for the under 10m fleet. In 2016, it generated 677.5 tonnes of additional quota.   In addition, for quota stocks phased in under the landing obligation since 2015, the under 10m fleet has received additional quota. This has provided the non-sector with historic high catch limits which they have been able to take advantage of. To date in 2018, the under 10m fleet has been allocated an additional 1,250 tonnes of quota, equating to an additional £3 million.   It should also be recognised that a significant proportion of catch brought in by the under 10m fleet such as lobster and crabs are not subject to quota controls.

International Council for the Exploration of the Sea: Research

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the replybyLord Gardiner of Kimble on 4 July (HL Deb, col 593), whether they plan to continue to use the research provided by the International Council for Exploration of the Seas.

lord gardiner of kimble: Defra has access to world class fisheries science experts in the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science who provide the Government with high quality advice. Much of the fisheries data we collect is delivered to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to support its annual assessment of fish stocks.   The UK has been a member of ICES since it was established in 1902 and we intend to continue playing a strong role in it in the future. We will continue to collect data for these assessments after we have left the EU as it is vital for managing our seas and any future negotiations, and we expect to continue to use advice provided by ICES.

Fisheries

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the sustainability of the marine environment following any increasein fishing in UK waters after Brexit.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK has long championed sustainable fishing and is committed to such cooperation in line with our obligations under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the UN Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA). In addition, the UK remains committed to bringing all commercially exploited stocks to their maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and ensuring that they are exploited at or below that level. As set out in our 25 Year Environment Plan, we will pursue an ecosystem approach to fisheries management that will minimise the negative impact of fishing on the marine environment.   The UK government does not support increased fishing pressure in UK waters but we will seek a fairer share of the total allowable catch and will depart from the outdated “relative stability” methodology.

Beef

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether it is possible to use scientific analysis techniques to establish whether beef has been produced using hormone implants when the amount of hormones in implanted steer beef is lower than the amount of those hormones in non-implanted bull beef.

lord gardiner of kimble: There are prototype methods that give a good indication of whether a substance is naturally occurring. However, these need further refinement before they can be considered suitably robust and reliable for regulatory use.

Fisheries: Quotas

baroness kramer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of British fish quotas are controlled by British registered companies owned by non-UK nationals by (1) weight, and (2) value.

lord gardiner of kimble: The information requested is not available. Such information as is available relates to the holding of fixed quota allocation units (FQA), the mechanism by which most quota is allocated in the UK. We do not routinely keep information on the nationality of FQA holders. Analysis for 2016 suggests that a little over a tenth of UK FQA was held by non-UK nationals. This figure is based on a sample from the FQA Register, is approximate, and is intended as a guide only. To address the issue of foreign holdings, an economic link condition was introduced to UK licences to make sure a genuine economic benefit is accrued to the UK from the fishing of UK quota. We are considering the economic link condition as part of the development of our future fisheries management arrangements post EU Exit.

Home Office

Veterinary Medicine: Migrant Workers

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to remove vets from the Tier two visa cap.

baroness williams of trafford: On 15 June, the Government announced a temporary change to the Tier 2 (General) cap. This is designed to address particular pressures facing the NHS at the current time but will mean that more spaces will be freed up within the cap for other sponsored high-skilled occupations, including vets. This change came into effect on 6 July and will be kept under review.In parallel, we have commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee to undertake a full review of the composition of the Shortage Occupation List. This review will enable the MAC to look at which posts are in national shortage and should be given priority within the Tier 2 cap in future. That review will conclude in Spring 2019.

Undocumented Migrants

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to using the phrase "economic or other migrants who do not meet the legal requirements of host countries" in the place of "illegal economic migrants" or "illegal migrants".

baroness williams of trafford: No consideration has been given to this phrase. The Immigration Acts refer to persons who require leave to enter or remain but do not have it.

Asylum: Afghanistan

lord singh of wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the suicide bombing resulting in the death of 19 Sikhs in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in July, whether they intend to offer asylum in the UK to the families of those who were killed.

baroness williams of trafford: There is no provision in the Immigration Rules for people to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum. Those who need international protection should claim in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.Our resettlement schemes offer a safe and legal route to the UK for the most vulnerable refugees. Membership of a minority religion or group is not in itself one of the vulnerability criteria used to assess eligibility for resettlement but members of minority religions or groups may qualify under the established criteria.Our assessment of the situation for Sikhs in Afghanistan is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on the Gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-country-policy-and-information-notes.

Department for Exiting the European Union

EU Budget: Audit

lord morris of aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the historic failure of auditors to fully certify the accounts of the EU has been raised in recent negotiations.

lord callanan: As we have said previously, we are not going to provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of ongoing negotiations.Recent negotiations have been building on the significant agreement reached in March. We’re continuing to make good progress and have reached agreement across the vast majority of the draft Withdrawal Agreement.We are now focussed on negotiating the right future relationship and have been having regular discussions with the EU outlining our positions on a wide range of topics covering the future security partnership and the future economic partnership.

EU Institutions

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether attendance at meetings of the EU Council of Ministers and the European Council by UK ministers and the Prime Minister will cease following 29 March 2019.

lord callanan: As the Prime Minister set out in her Florence speech last year, the UK will cease to be a member of the European Union on 29th March 2019. Following this date we will no longer sit at the European Council table or in the Council of Ministers.

Brexit

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek an extension to (1) the date of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on 29 March 2019, or (2) the length of the planned transition period.

lord callanan: We are not seeking to extend either the Article 50 process or the time-limited implementation period. We are confident of reaching agreement on the Withdrawal Agreement and the terms of our future partnership by October and are working at pace to ensure all necessary arrangements are in place for a smooth and orderly exit.

Treasury

Ports

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the time it will take to set up the necessary infrastructure and IT systems at ports for after the transition period with the EU; and whether they expect these arrangements to be in place before the transition period ends.

lord bates: IT System and infrastructure requirements will vary depending on the outcome of negotiations. Considerable work has been done to specify and plan for potential necessary systems and infrastructure.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Impact Bonds

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Social Impact Bonds as a commissioning tool.

lord ashton of hyde: Headline findings from evidence work undertaken by Government have shown that Social Impact Bonds can successfully address complex social problems through innovative practice and help individuals who have multiple needs. Where Social Impact Bonds have launched, they have demonstrated evidence of both improved outcomes and reductions in high cost events, such as the entry of looked after children into residential care. The level of impact evidence from Social Impact Bonds has also proven to be typically higher than many government programmes. Government has increased funding available for new Social Impact Bonds and it is important that these provide robust evaluations to inform further assessment. The Centre for Social Impact Bonds in DCMS continues to work with the Government Outcomes Lab at Oxford University, a centre of expertise for Social Impact Bonds and innovative Government commissioning, to build the evidence base for Social Impact Bonds.

Children: Protection

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the convictions of Barry Bennell and George Ormond for serious offences of non-recent sexual abuse against multiple victims,what plans they have to review and improve the safeguarding of children in sports.

lord ashton of hyde: Since the first allegations of non-recent abuse in football became public in November 2016, DCMS has initiated a significant programme of work with Sport England and the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit to assess the current safeguarding landscape in sport and strengthen provision wherever possible. All organisations in receipt of public funding from Sport England and UK Sport have been required to meet the standards set out in the Code for Sports Governance since April 2017. The Code contains specific obligations around safeguarding, including a requirement for national governing bodies to adhere to the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport, which are issued by the Child Protection in Sport Unit.We have also taken steps to promote best practice in non-funded sports including launching the Code of Safeguarding in Martial Arts in March 2018. The code sets consistent standards and provides parents with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about where to send their children for instruction.